My heart is a-flutter with clutter!

I love my stuff. I have lots and lots and lots of stuff. However, too much of something is not necessarily a good thing. So, I need to share the good stuff with the rest of the world. I joined a Facebook group for a 40 days of de-cluttering challenge. Perfect! I spent much of last week in a flurry of manic energy, running around the house sorting bins of stuff to keep, stuff to donate, stuff to share, stuff to throw out. It felt GOOOOD. Then on Sunday, I crashed. Zzzzzz.

This week I have to make up for last week’s inability to get computer/paper work done. I could not sit still or focus last week. The kids were off on Monday and sick on Friday. My husband was busy with a work event so I saw him sleeping briefly but that was about all really. Glad to have him back now that the event is over! Phew!

I have a really hard time letting go of things that still have purpose. I imagine the item sitting in a landfill taking up unnecessary space. Yet, it is taking up unnecessary space in my home. I’ve been trying to think of creative ways to get the stuff out of my house. I’ve been donating books, plastic bags and sticker sheets to the local library. I joined a BuyNothing Facebook group and a local Buy/Sell Facebook group. Every bin that leaves my home makes me feel lighter.

I’ve been thinking about my home a lot lately. How does it reflect my personality and that of my family? How can I keep it clean? What can I change or rearrange to make it more functional for our needs? How can I make it more of a haven?

OI!!!! The above paragraphs were written a month and a half ago. They were lost in the land of draft folders. I was on such a roll with organization and getting rid of stuff. It was halted when my in-laws came for a visit. I’m happy to report I had the bedroom and bathroom in top condition for their stay thanks to my de-cluttering efforts.

I also hosted my daughter’s very chaotic and energetic birthday party. Then my husband left for Spain for 10 days during my kids’ March Break. The kids had varying degrees of colds. I hosted my son’s birthday party and then my husband returned just in time for my kids to return to school. That is when I crashed. Cold or flu, who knows. Then I lost my voice. Two weeks later, it has turned into tonsillitis and strep throat. My house is A MESS and I am very tired! I am happy to say I’ve gotten rid of loads of stuff but every room is still needing a serious minimalization. Yes, I like making up words and terms.

Now that I’m seeing hints of Spring, I know I’ll be outside soon working in the gardens. Which means I’ll have less time to tackle cleaning indoors. I’m pretty much okay with this. Turns out my messes will wait for me.

Right now I just want to feel better and get my design work done. I’ve been trying to work on a potentially awesome project for months but if I let much more time pass I’m going to lose it! So today, I tried a concoction I found on Pinterest that claims to rid one of Strep Throat. I’ve renamed the remedy “fire breathing gargle tea”. I steeped a cup of Lemon Ginger tea and then added a tablespoon of honey, a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and a teaspoon of cayenne. Woah! I gargled each mouthful for a good 10 seconds. Apparently Cayenne will kill off strep bacteria. I’m hopeful.

I’ll let you know how the tea works.